Update

So, I have been negligent in paying attention to my blog. But I have returned.
The new signs for "Quiet" are up and seem to be working. I am also currently working with Ken and Jeff to get our self check-out system up and running. After talking with some people at UCLA, I believe we have addressed most of the problems that were occurring and I think that the self check-out should definetly be up and running by the Winter Inter-Session.
I have also been given the Library 10A class to teach during Winter and have begun my preparation. I must have at least my syllabus and first two weeks lessons prepared before leaving for Italy in December, because I teach almost immediately when I return.
Finally, I have also sent out letters to faculty members to have them review what materials they have placed on reserve so that I can remove and return unnecessary items in order to save space and in order to update the reserves for the Spring semester.

MySpace and Shatford Library

Well, today I will unveil the MySpace page that I have created for the library. It is a work in progress, and I already see changes that must be made. Some of the circulation staff are already becoming friends of the library, and hopefully students will also. I am now seeing this page as more of an information provider than a communication tool, but hope that students will use the email features to ask questions of the library staff. I also hope that the pictures will allow students to identify who works in the library for when they do need assistance. I have included the URL, and would love comments from you the reader and invite you to become a friend of the Shatford Library if you have a MySpace page.
myspace.com/shatfordlibrary

New signs to help keep the Peace (and Quiet)

The new "Quiet" signs and bookmarks have arrived and are now placed at the entrances to the library. I have received very positive feedback about how professional they look and that they seem to be working. Now it is important that the staff and I enforce the silence we are requesting so that students take it seriously. Here are some pictures of the new signs.

Liaison duties and Budget

This week I attended the languages division meeting to introduce myself as the library liaison. All of the instructors were very friendly, and I was able to offer my assistance in creating a Wiki should they want to do so. I also attended a workshop introducing the PCC budget to me. This helps in understanding where our funding comes from and why it can take so long to get monies.
I also have continued with my teaching of Bibliographic Instruction classes and have received praise from the instructors I have worked with. I think I enjoy teaching these classes most of all of my duties here.
Today I also had a telephone conversation with the Emerging Technologies Librarian at UCLA, Michelle Jacobs. I was able to get her input on using social networking sites in the library. She prefers Facebook, as does my own dean and I may have to re-focus my attentions on Facebook as opposed to Myspace.

Signage

The new signs for the library are finally finished. I also have bookmarks designed to hand out to rowdy students to help bring down the noise. The Circle K club on campus may help as well with patrolling the library to keep it quiet, but they have not contacted me yet with their ideas and needs.
Some other options have been discussed in our staff meetings for maintaining the third floor as a Silent Study Area. I think moving large "group study" type tables downstairs may be the best idea. Having solo study carrels on the third floor would definetly discourage group chatter.
Today, we also had visitors from UCLA come to explore librarianship at the community college level. It was fun to show off our library a bit and talk about my recent experiences with job hunting and interviews.

Silence in the library.

Our library is currently having difficulty maintaining quiet space for study. The student center is under construction and student have few places to congregate on campus, and so many end up in the library. I have been working on signage that I hope will help control noise levels in the library. Jesus, our production artist, has worked with me to create proofs of these signs that I have shared with the other librarians. I am currently going over some revisions prior to publishing the final signs for use. It is my hope that with these signs in place, librarians will feel more justified and secure in enforcing quiet study, knowing that there is a policy in place and posted for students to read. These signs will do very little if as librarians we don't work together to show students that we are enforcing these policies.

Circulation meeting

Some time has passed since my last post. In that time, I have had the opportunity to teach my first BI here at PCC and have planned and held a meeting with my circulation staff.
The BI lesson went very well and I really enjoyed it. I am repeating the same Counseling 10 BI tomorrow, and will also be holding a BI for Speech 1 next week. I also have set hours at the Reference Desk now and find that for the most part I am well equipped for my work there. At times I still have difficulties because of my lack of familiarity with the collection and my own reliance on electronic resources. Some of the instructors here use the old periodical indexes, microfiche, and microfilm collections, and I need to practice more with these.
The Circulation staff meeting went very well and provided a comfortable/open forum for the circulation staff members to share their concerns and some of their personality. I enjoyed speaking with them all and getting to know a little about them while also discussing some minor policy changes.